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From watering via ice cubes to spritzing with hydrogen peroxide – 4 misguided plant health trends on social media

The internet is full of advice on just about everything, including plant care. As the director of a plant diagnostic laboratory and expert on plant medicine, I help people manage their plants’ health more

Nick Goltz, University of Connecticut, The Conversation | 4/15/24

Why civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer was ‘sick and tired of being sick and tired’

It wasn’t called voter suppression back then, but civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer knew exactly how white authorities in Mississippi felt about Black people voting in the 1960s. … more

Marlee Bunch, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, The Conversation | 3/27/24

The much-anticipated conclusion to the Infinity Cycle fantasy series is at last available.

Infinity Kings: Final Book In A Favorite Fantasy Series

(NAPSI)—In an epic conclusion to the New York Times best-selling Infinity Cycle, two brothers find themselves in a heartbreaking war against one another. After the ultimate betrayal, Emil … more

3/27/24

How ‘Dune’ became a beacon for the fledgling environmental movement − and a rallying cry for the new science of ecology

“Dune,” widely considered one of the best sci-fi novels of all time, continues to influence how writers, artists and inventors envision the future. Of course, there are Denis Villeneuve’s visually stunning films, “Dune: Part One” (2021) and “Dune: Part Two” (2024). … more

Devin Griffiths, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, The Conversation | 3/15/24

Cherry blossoms – celebrated in Japan for centuries and gifted to Americans – are an appreciation of impermanence and spring

Cherry blossoms mark the beginning of spring. Various festivals are regularly organized in California, Colorado, Georgia, Tennessee and Washington, D.C., to celebrate the bloom of cherry trees. … more

Małgorzata (Gosia) K. Citko-DuPlantis, University of Tennessee, The Conversation | 3/7/24

Titanosaurs were the biggest land animals Earth’s ever seen − these plant-powered dinos combined reptile and mammal traits

You’re probably familiar with classic sauropod dinosaurs – the four-legged herbivores famous for their long necks and tails. Animals such as Brachiosaurus, Apatosaurus and Diplodocus have been standard fixtures in science museums since the 1800s. … more

Kristi Curry Rogers, Macalester College, The Conversation | 3/7/24

At bedtime, when lights go out…sometimes thoughts stay on. A new children’s book can help.

Helping Alleviate Children’s Anxiety

(NAPSI)—If your children are like most, they get anxious from time to time—but you can help them get over it. The Problem In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), … more

3/6/24

W.E.B. Du Bois’ study ‘The Philadelphia Negro’ at 125 still explains roots of the urban Black experience – sociologist Elijah Anderson tells why it should be on more reading lists

W.E.B. Du Bois is widely known for his civil rights activism, but many sociologists argue that he has yet to receive due recognition as the founding father of American sociology. His groundbreaking study, “The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study,” … more

Elijah Anderson, Yale University, The Conversation | 2/29/24

Betty Smith enchanted a generation of readers with ‘A Tree Grows in Brooklyn’ − even as she groused that she hoped Williamsburg would be flattened

Eighty years ago, in the winter and spring of 1944, Brooklyn-born author Betty Smith was entering a new chapter of life. A year earlier, she was an unknown writer, negotiating with her publisher about manuscript edits and the date of publication for her first book, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” … more

Rachel Gordan, University of Florida, The Conversation | 2/28/24

Why do flowers smell?

Imagine walking through a tropical forest as a sweet scent wafts through the air. A little farther down the path, the putrid stench of rotting flesh makes you catch your breath. Upon investigation, you find that both odors originate from flowers – but why do flowers smell like anything at all? ... more

Richard L. Harkess, Mississippi State University, The Conversation | 2/28/24

Doing well by doing good: Many New Yorkers may soon find good jobs in the clean energy sector.

National Grid: Improving Jobs with the Clean Energy Transition

(NAPSI)—Addressing climate change is an all-hands-on-deck undertaking. It requires a smarter, stronger, and cleaner energy grid that provides affordable, reliable power when and where people need … more

2/8/24

3 ways AI can help farmers tackle the challenges of modern agriculture

For all the attention on flashy new artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, the challenges of regulating AI, and doomsday scenarios of superintelligent machines, AI is a useful tool in many fields. In fact, it has enormous potential to benefit humanity. … more

Joe Hollis, Iowa State University, The Conversation | 1/1/24

Day in the Life of a Small Farm

Gold Shaw Farm in Peacham, Vt. is more of a farm-in-progress than an honest-to-goodness farm. We dream that someday we can transform our 150+ acre parcel of land into a regenerative and … more

11/27/23

Adding a medicine cabinet and more mirrors to your bathroom are just two of the many ways you can easily and inexpensively enhance your house.

Five Home Improvement Projects that are Low Cost and High Impact

(NAPSI)—Housing prices may be as expensive as ever, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to put your plans for a dream home on hold. Rather than purchasing a new house, many homeowners are … more

6/28/23

A fascinating new novel about Nazis hiding in post-war South America is a great summer read.

Summer Reading

(NAPSI)—A daring new novel called SOLIMEOS by Rhoda Lerman, a critically-acclaimed author who passed away in 2015, imagines what life might have been like for Nazi officers and their families in … more

6/12/23

The winning art entitled “Wyvern Crucible” by Tom Wood graces the cover of L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 39.

Fantastic Ideas Can Win Fantastic Prizes

(NAPSI)—The newest and most exciting voices of science fiction and fantasy have been found by the L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests, for nearly four decades. … more

5/19/23

Seventy-five years ago, after a historic UN-vote, Israel was established as a modern nation-state and homeland for the Jewish people. A new series of novels explores the conflict still raging among the complex peoples who call Israel home.

Great Historical Fiction Can Illuminate Life Today

(NAPSI)—“If you want to know what happened, read history books. If you want to understand what happened, read historical fiction.” In that spirit, to coincide with the 75th anniversary … more

4/19/23

An Intense New Novel About Family, Fashion, Business, and Books

(NAPSI)—A fourth-generation retailer, author Martin Sneider started as a shoe salesman and rose to president, co-CEO, and chief merchant of the St. Louis conglomerate Edison Brothers Stores, … more

4/11/23

Now teachers in Florida can excite students through hands-on and digital investigations that drive students to ask questions, make claims, and analyze evidence to explain real-world happenings.

Something New For Florida Science Classrooms

(NAPSI)—For students to learn best, their resources need to be tailored to them. That means by both learning standards—such as the Florida learning standards—and by content that’s put into a … more

3/28/23

Outside storytelling

Outside’s longstanding literary storytelling tradition comes to life in audio with features that will both entertain and inform listeners. We launched in March 2016 with our first series, … more

3/10/23

Purrr-fectly enjoyable

In these cat podcasts, learn everything there is to know about cats on Cattitude with your hosts Michelle Fern & Tom Dock. In this cat podcast, each week we’ll spotlight a cool cat breed, … more

3/10/23

Talkin' pets, with vets

Veterinarians, Drs Lewis Kirkham and Robbie Anderton, provide an informative, light-hearted chat about the health of your pet. It includes veterinary, behaviour and training advice for pet owners, … more

3/10/23

How We Have Fallen Short in Teaching Literacy -- And What To Do About It

(NewsUSA) - This may be difficult to read, but did you know:In the last 15 years, 15 million students graduated from high schools testing below the basic reading level.One in five college students … more

2/15/23

A new book by Gene Heil offers a unique way of looking at—and dealing with—race relations in America today.

A Perspective On Race And Religion

(NAPSI)—Do you contribute to racial unity or disunity? That’s the focus of a new book, which offers a surprising perspective on race relations in America today, and offers suggestions to improve … more

2/15/23

Humorous, Poetic & Allegorical Tale Reminiscent of Dante’s Inferno

(NewsUSA) - Theatrical essence, we know, relies upon a shared experience of space and time. How else does one describe the crescendo between the stage and stalls during a curtain call?In Presence, … more

2/7/23